Swing Vote is on Gai Waterhouse’s Blue Diamond short-list but whether she makes the final cut is still to be determined.
The youngster will make her Victorian debut in Saturday’s Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) for fillies, taking on an cracking field which includes Diamond favourite Miracles Of Life.
Mark Newnham, Waterhouse’s stable representative, confirmed Swing Vote was under consideration for a Blue Diamond start.
But he stressed the main reason she was making the trip from Sydney to Melbourne this weekend was the opportunity to earn black type.
“It’s a Listed race and for any horse black type is important,” Newnham said.
“Up here we don’t have the (two-year-old) black-type races yet.
“If she comes through and happens to win then yes, she will be targeted at the Blue Diamond.”
The fillies Preview is being billed as one of the most interesting two-year-old races so far this season.
Miracles Of Life has won her two starts in Adelaide by big margins and connections will consider paying the late entry fee to run in the Blue Diamond if she brings that form to Caulfield.
Montsegur is one of the more impressive youngsters Darley has rolled out so far, while five other runners, including Swing Vote, are winners of their only starts.
The race brings together a host of formlines and Newnham says it will be interesting to see the result.
Swing Vote is the only runner from Sydney.
“You’ve got one from Adelaide, and the Melbourne form, and her from Sydney so it might answer a few questions,” Newnham said.
Waterhouse is still finalising her team of hopefuls for the Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) run on February 23 and several youngsters are still in the mix.
Along with Swing Vote, Newnham confirmed last Saturday’s Inglis Classic winner Marseille Roulette and Overreach were also under strong consideration.
Overreach was runner-up to Villa Verde on debut at Caulfield in October and won a recent barrier trial in Sydney.
“She’s trialled up here and she may also go down for one of the Preludes,” Newnham said.
“So there’s still a few in the mix for the Blue Diamond.”
